Dr Valiya M Hamza (Rio (River) Hamza) At Markaz

V M Hamza, a native of Kunnamangalam, made a name for himself in Brazil by discovering a subterranean river, 'Rio Hamza' (River Hamza), which was later named after him.

Hamza, who is back in Kozhikode for the first time after his ground-breaking scientific feat, which was made public last year, was given a rousing civic reception in the city on Thursday.

The Brazilians regard this Keralite geophysicist as one of their own and have honoured him for his discovery -- a 6,000 km subterranean river under the mighty Amazon -- by naming it after him.

Dr Valiya M Hamza, who went on a six-month tourist visa to Brazil and stayed on for 40 years, won international acclaim after his discovery of the river, later named after him as 'Rio (River) Hamza'